I am here today to truly seek your opinion on fibro meds. I take Cymbalta (30mg, 1x a day) and Lyrica (50mg, 2x a day). I've been taking them for a year and a half. Here's my question.....
While I feel like the Cymbalta has been the biggest help (it has reduced the amount of overall daily pain I deal with, though it by no means has taken it away or prevented any flare ups) I suffer from all the sexual side effects that come with Cymbalta and all other "psych" meds. At first, I didn't care because I was just so desperate to get relief, but after a year and a half and suffering in the other aforementioned area (my husband hates it and it has caused problems for us which is all I need on top of the fibro stuff not to mention the fact that I don't like it either) I am thinking of stopping the med altogether. Has anyone else done this and regretted it?
I am really scared about stopping the med but I really do want this other area of my life to improve.
Unfortunately, my doctor offers little help or advice. She basically will do what I ask.
I need some direction as my next appointment is on Monday and I don't know what to ask for. Is there any other Fibro med that anyone here can recommend that does not cause sexual side effects and has proven to be affective for you? If you can recommend anything I would truly appreciate it and then I can talk to my doctor about switching medications.
Thanks so much for all your help and support. I truly value your opinions over anyone else because you know what it is like to suffer with this condition and what has worked for you.
I feel your pain in all the areas you are talking about. I love sex but ever since being on all these meds I just can’t experience arousal for myself. My husband has tried everything to excite me to no end. The problem is that Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Savella are all part of the NSID group of meds that block arousal receptors. I did a search online on what med interfere with sexual dysfunction and the list is long. Even the Oxy meds contribute to blocking sexual function. So I think we are pretty much screwed in that department. I still have sex with my husband because he still has needs and it makes me happy knowing that he is getting satisfied. Although we are both getting steadily more depressed over the fact that I am not.
As for stopping the meds all together, I do not recommend this. I stopped Lyrica cold turkey and the result was more than painful. Do a search online about stopping Lyrica cold turkey. There is lots of information out there. Good luck on Monday.
Hi ive been givin Bu Trans patches 15mg now and Gabapentin 3 times a day also Amitriptyline 10mg at night to stop the muscle spasms and help me sleep and its great…still have the pain, as this will never go, but it is much easier pain to deal with. Also I have a very sympathetic doctor who’s been brilliant.
you might ask about switching to another antidepressant that works same way in our brains. Some antidepressants affect us bit differently with each of us so it might help. Since you are on such a low dose of lyrica you might try not using it at all.
It could be that two of them together are causing more severe sexual side effects. Also, there are drugs your doctor can prescribe that can help with sexual issues, such as desire, dryness etc.
If your doctor ( sounds like a burned out one) is of little help you might go to your OB-GYN instead and I am sure they will know of ways to help.
As they say, our biggest sexual organ is our brain, so you might consider buying some beautiful lingerie, a new hair cut, or day at the spa reading one of those romantic novels to help get one in mood. Anything at all that you know might help put you in the mood. Also, your husband needs to know that feeling pressured is going to cause problems for you to get in the mood so he possible could try to understand how hard it has been for you getting use to not feeling well most of the time plus, having negative experiences with your body.
If you are mad at your body for letting you down, you might consider just a few counseling classes to help you work out those issues...which are very normal. Plus others, due to our bodies letting us down or at least sense that they are now.
I also love a nice bubble bath getting ready for one's date. Relaxing with some romantic music, candles while you shave and get ready for your date....or you can take a nice bubble bath together which is always fun. hope this helps a bit.
I do know that there are few books out regarding having a sex life with a chronic disease...another idea that might help.
Just FYI…I’m on Lyrica alone. I have the same sexual side effects. Zero Libido.
I would hate for you to stop cymbalta just to find that the problem persists. Do people have the same problem on Savella, I wonder?
I feel the need to elaborate…
This is not a matter of getting relaxed and in the right state if mind…at least for me. Since starting Lyrica, it’s like those nerve endings are now unresponsive. Before starting Lyrica I’d say we had a better than average sex life. Now, even pulling out ALL the stops, those nerves just don’t “catch fire” so to speak. Again, I’m not on cymbalta or Savella. Just Lyrica.
I agree. I too had a better than average sex life. There are many websites that list the drugs that effect sexual desire. If you find a cure - please post! Good luck.
Im on savella and I dont have any issues in that department. the only thing I can say about the savella is that I had to add wellbutrin to it because he gave me mood swings but the Wellbutrin doesn’t seem to affect my libido either.
Poor dears! I do understand, my husband didn't for a long time. Now after undergoing a triple by-pass and all the heart meds he takes, he understands. We just celebrated 35 years together, 4 children, 4 Grandchildren so far. We spoon, snuggle, hold hands, go out and are affectionate. Sex just doesn't happen although I do get urges...short lived. Menopause takes a lot out of ya too.
I did Lyrica, gained 30 pounds and went off to go on Neurontin and Tramadol,Effexor. worked for a while and then new diagnosis put me on Cymbalta, Norco, Neurontin, Oxycontin, Amitriptyline, ,,,blah blah blah...
I think the Neurontin (Gabapentin) does the best for me for the Fibro pain. That and the Norco but I have so much pain by different causes it's hard to tell what gets covered and what doesn't.
Back to you and hubby. Affection goes a long way and that you are concerned enough to bring it up here speaks volumes. Get affectionate, go public with it, snuggle, spoon. turn TO your husband when he approaches you in a loving way, not away from him. Baby steps, for both of you and I think the advice about not pushing you is good.
Once you start,, it gets easier. Where there is love...there is hope.
http://time.com/23982/low-libido-11-drugs-that-affect-your-sex-drive/ Here is a link to some information I found on drugs that affect your libido. It does mention two anti-depressants (SSRI's) that don't bother your sex drive, Wellbutrin and Viibryd, but unfortunately all anti-seizure meds, opioids and tricyclic anti-depressants do, so talk to your doctor about these two, and like everyone has said, don't stop the Cymbalta cold turkey, you have to wean your self off of it.
I'll address more things later, but I want to make sure and address the CYMBALTA DISCONTINUATION SYNDROME. Please look this up before stopping Cymbalta. After being on Cymbalta 60mg for two months, I had to be taken off due to insurance, and switched back to Prozac. Had I known about Cymbalta Discontinuation Syndrome, I would have paid for the generic myself.. Within 2 days of stopping the Cymbalta, not only was I in a flare, but I was so nauseous I thought I had the stomach flu. Anything and everything made me nauseous, and the constant sick feeling never went away. After feeling like this for a month I began to think I had cancer. A couple weeks later I got a phonecall from my pharmacy saying my generic Cymbalta had been ok'd. Within 2 days of restarting the Cymbalta, the nausea stopped and I starting feeling better again. I was trying to help a friend get some information on Cymbalta, when I came across CYMBALTA DISCONTINUATION SYNDROME, boy did I ever relate. I've tried posting the article here but seem to be having some problem posting it. I'll try again later today. I shared my experience with my NP at the pain clinic and she said she had heard of it. She said she had heard it, but didn't clarify why she didn't tell me about it when I was feeling so lousy. Now, it's in the past, but if I can prevent anyone else from this experience it would be nice. Hugs, Susan
Using an antidepressant for chronic pain might seem simple enough, but did you know that getting off an antidepressant can be a horrific experience? After comparing the new and the old antidepressants, now we have to talk about getting off them. Some are easier to stop then others. Many are finding out the hard way that Cymbalta is extremely difficult to stop using. Yes, it may be "simple to use" like Eli-Lily says in the packaging material; but some people are getting very sick from trying to discontinue using Cymbalta.
Recently, one of my patients and I discussed her use of Cymbalta and the fact that she was working towards her goal of getting off all of her medications because she was experiencing side effects with very little benefits. She had been on Cymbalta for five years since her primary doctor suggested it for the treatment of lower back pain. Neither she nor I realized how tremendously difficult it actually is to wean off Cymbalta. After dropping her dose from 60 mg per day to the next lower dose of 30mg per day, the nightmare began. The severe mood swings started. Her legs became increasingly restless. And she could not sleep. At first, I did not know what was happening to her. All of her blood tests were normal. But when she stopped the Cymbalta all together, WOW! She really started to go through hell. She began experiencing severe nausea, headaches, and an assortment of cognitive problems. That's when I knew that she was experiencing Cymbalta Discontinuation Syndrome.
A recent FDA advisory committee report about Cymbalta Discontinuation Syndrome states that there is "much anecdotal evidence" similar to this experience regarding the withdrawal syndrome that people experience when trying to get off of Cymbalta. They also go on to say that both the public and doctors are ill-informed by Eli-Lily in regards to the severity of the withdrawal symptoms and information about how to taper off the medication. In their conclusion, they issued mandates for Eli-Lily to develop more transparent benefit-risk information and develop a protocol for the discontinuation of Cymbalta.
Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome is not new. All antidepressants have the potential to cause this after six weeks of use. However, no one has seen this type of severity until now. These newer antidepressant medications like Cymbalta are potent and have short half-lives. The primary reason people get sick when getting off these drugs is because they are left with too little serotonin. Without enough serotonin in the nervous system messaging system, everything goes haywire and the patient goes through hell.
Because many doctors and patients are unaware of these dangers, the diagnosis of Cymbalta Discontinuation Syndrome can be overlooked. Doctors need to get detailed medication histories and know that this syndrome can last for months. Once the diagnosis is made, then the doctor and the patient can try to treat the problem. In the above example, instead of restarting the Cymbalta, I elected to place the patient on an alternative antidepressant, Prozac. This medication replaces the Cymbalta and is easier to discontinue because it stays in the system longer (longer half-life). I treated her symptoms with an antiemetic and an antihistamine. Hopefully, we can eventually get her off of antidepressants all together. For now, I am primarily concerned about getting her through the withdrawals alive. But, I am not sure that this is the best way to go about it.
Avoiding the Cymbalta Discontinuation Syndrome altogether might be a better route. The company does not make a slow weaning process easy because only two doses are available, 30mg and 60mg. Some patients and doctors have resorted to breaking the capsules open and giving partial doses over a long period of time - often over several months. Bottom line is that Eli-Lily needs to address this problem and help people get off of the medication when it is no longer necessary. Right now, they seem to be more concerned with getting as many people on Cymbalta as possible. Shame on them; the new packaging should read: "Simple to use; nearly impossible to stop." It is like having a hotel that everyone can check in to but cannot check out.
If you already are using Cymbalta, do not suddenly discontinue this medication. Talk to your doctor. If you are contemplating whether or not to start this medication, please be warned that this medication can put you in harm's way. The benefits from this antidepressant may not be worth the risk. Nothing is a simple as it seems.
Yeah, I won't take antidepressants because of the sexual side effects. I find gabapentin makes me hornier though! The best natural cure for depression is : gratitude! SAMe can be used for depression as can Kava, which is a euphoric, but you cant take the Kava too often and it has to be used in higher doses than recommended. The best I am doing for myself is curtailing activity, because I have very restricted "up" time before the FM kicks in. So I try to listen to my body very closely before the pain starts to ramp up and I need more meds. I have found all antidepressants don't make me happy. They just put a cap on how depressed I get. And the side effects make up the difference, so I won't go there unless I can't find a way out of constant total misery. I just don't let things get to me anymore. It's a survival skill. I take a loooong perspective, coupled with a positive attitude and decades of spiritual practice. Good luck with your med adjustments.
Hi hopefulfhol, I have tried both the meds you mentioned and also sufferred with sexual side effects. I'm now on Agomelatine and Metazapine anti-depressants and Gabapentin and slow release Tramadol and I don't have sexual side effects although due to pain and exhaustion it doesn't happen as often as my husband would like! At least when it does happen I'm not numb and do experience pleasure. I hope that your doctor will take this side effect seriously and try you on different meds. It's so important to not feel physically numb.
Hi, just wanted to share my experience with fibro meds that I have taken. I too took Cymbalta and for me it did not work it was horrible I was in a great deal of pain constantly. Needless to say I stopped it & also took nuerontin & again it didn't help either & made me gain about 35 lbs & I stopped taking it myself & it put me in the hospital & was diagnosed with tremors so dnt stop by yourself u have to be winged off some of the meds. & I also tried lidocain infusions & again it didnt help ugh! This horrible pain im in is constant it never goes away it just gets worse & more intense the more I try to do during the day. So im at the point where I just have to push through the pain each and every day for my family so now I take amitriptyline for my insomnia, Effexor for depression, metoprolol for tremors, tramadol, ibprofen & vicodin to help with my pain.the more meds they put us on causes more problems. Most doctors dnt understand fibro & seem to think its all in your head thats where the cymbalta & other meds u see on tv comes in. Ive seen countless doctors and specialists over 2 1/2 years so now im tryin to live my life the best I can for my kids & my loving husband. I wish u the best of luck & hope u find what will help u everyone is different what may work for them may not work for u. It took me years to figure that out. BEST OF LUCK TO U
I have been taking oxycodone for years. Please tell me if any, what is thew difference between oxycontin and oxycodone? I was told by the pharmacist they are exactly the same. I also take Plaquenil, Savella, Bentyl, Plavix and a host of otc medications. If there is a difference between the two, which works better? Thanks
Thank you for sharing your stories. I'm not married and not currently dating. I don't take any medications yet except flexural, and well my pain keeps me from keeping up with others and trying to explain to them is not easy. But the alternative to feeling pleasure is absorbing information that will help me in the future should the right man step into my life. I've got a mission now which is to investigate all of the drugs that I have learned about so far and what their effects are after taking them. That is never a topic that you have with your doctor.
Some one once told me that after she had that stomach bypass to help her lose weight, she found out after the surgery how the after math is difficult to deal with. Maybe not for everyone but when you see a large percentage of people who suffer the after math of any surgery or drug, makes you see how much you will still be taking care of yourself down the road.
Well I hope I made the point that I was trying to make. LOL
